Gas manufacture



P. W. DEAN GAS MANUFACTURE Nov. 9, 1954 F'J'ld Dec. 7, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet l +lllll||| I l P. W. DEAN GAS MANUFACTURE Nov. 9, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 7. 1951 United States Patent '0 AL "MANUFACTU E Percy Wheatley Dean, SuttonQEngIand, as'signor .folThe Aerogen Company :Limited, I=Iampshire, England, .a ri s comp uy ApplicationDecember 7 ,=1'951,Serial N 0. 260,540 Claimstpriority, applicationGrFeatBritaimMarch:16,3195.1 fl a m 461-25 -118) "tThistinventionn'elates .toggasrmanufacture:andxis more particularly concerned with ;an ;improved means for producing:aicombustible gas swhichds a. closeszequivalent to or substitute for ordinarytown gas .twheerby gas-open ated.appliancesofall '.kinds,.although designed for use with such town gas, may also, be. operated withggastmade according .to. the present invention-without.modification.

object of :the present-invention tis .the.production in;an inexpensiveand .-.eflicient; mannerwof a combustible gasserving, as a near :equivalentof :or. a,substitute:for town gasrunder conditions .wherea constantasupply of producer gas.- or other-suitable; hydrogen-containing gas is, available or vwhere such hydrogen-containing :gaskmay gbe .alocally generated.

-Broadly,-r.the present; invention comprises a combination of apparatus for vapourizing petrolibyahewet carburation method, promoting .mixing of the .vapour with producer gas, hydrogen'or a;suitablehydrogemcontaininggas such astownrgas orcoalgas, and aextracting the ga'savapour mixture through .means, which, :by creating turbulence between the'sgas mixture and ;a washing "liquid, effect washing and further mixing .of the gas-vapour .mixture. Preferably, the apparatus also iineludse means for .removing :water vapour and entrained impurities :from sthe hydrogen-containing gas before tsubstantial mixing .with the petrol vapour.

vIn this [specification the term fpetrol :is-to @be interpreted with. themeaning current in. Great :Britain, e. :g. motor spirit, and synonymous with the tterms *igasoline inlthe United Statesandother countries, benzoline in Australia and..so on :and istovbeconstruedras including other similar a volatile "hydrocarbons.

A ..-preferred form of apparatus .zaccording .=.to-the .invention comprises .atvapourizing. chamber-Fin. combination with a petrol vapourizingidevicezofithe =wettcarburation type, means for introducing the gas which is to be ad mixed therewith .ziIltO the vapou'rizingchamber, and a rotary gas washing --and mixing drum partially immersed in a water bath in said vapourizing chamber and having internally means for creating :turbulence between the water .and :the gas-vapour .mixture. More specifically, thetrotary washingand mixing. drumalso: providesta constantly moistened surface serving as .the vapou'rizing surface=for-the.petrol.

:Where there vis .no .large. scalesupply -of producer gas or other suitable .gas, .suchgas .may be generated in a portable generator coupledto-thevappurgas m-ining apparatus.

A further feature .of-the apparatus'according to the invention consists in the provision of means for trapping thef ne dust and removing water vapour which isjusually present in any normallyavailableiprodncer gas, before mixing with petrol vapour. Such frneans mayjcornprise a rotary plate or disc moving -in-unison'with the washing and mixing drum and arranged to present a cooled and wetted surface to the incoming hydrogen-containing gas.

Means are also provided whereby the proportion of petrol vapour to producer gas in the resultant mixture may conveniently be adjusted in accordance with requirements or to compensate for variations in character of the petrol used or producer gas available.

In order that the various features of the invention may be readily understood it will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation, with parts shown in section,

2,693,947 .LRatent d ,NQV- .9, 1.9 4

:72 of sarplant r'for .pro'ducing :gas ::in :accordance with ;the in vention.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical cross-sectional viewtof the petrol yapou'rizing c'device while :Fig. ":3 is a ,transverse cross-sectional view taken on theflinetlllfiIlLof Fig. 2.

gdieferring-tto the drawings,;thevproducer gasisection. of titer-plant :shown at rPGnnayz be 'ofanyrconvenient ;form and .congeniently comprises, :as rshow'n, ;a generator -..-unit 10.- surrnountedbyaafnelnhopper ll avaponrizer :12nand a --washing/ cooling and v'13 which may ;be of any :Sllitable .;type. for vproducing as efficient. cleaning a of :the gas as vconveniently :-possible. :The ...output z'from the unit 13 is fed by means of a booster fan 14 either directLy-to the asnbseqnent tpetrol avapourizing plant :PVP -or, .=r'n,ore preferably randias :shown;; to t-atgas holder 21 5 from i which .the;latter.=.plant istsupplied .atqatreasonably constant-pres sure over pipetlinez16.

- he petrol @vapourizertplant LPVP is shown in .;:greater detail v.in 'Eigs. 2.:and :3 :and comprisesa generally cylindrical and stationary outer casing 17 ,withinzwhich rotates, in .cqaxial :relationship, .a smaller diameter cylindrical drum :118 secured rupon -.a shaft 19. :TlThe rdrum 2118:1311!- rounds .a second coaxial drum v2.0 also seemed .10 at shaft -1-9.,and*between,,-the respective outer ,and inner. surfaces .-of the, drumszikand 1.18 is disposed,an Archimedean screw 321 t-aconsisting of a helical ;web .isealed around {its inn r andgoutercdgeszto theitwordrums.

:"EheArchimedean.;screw 21 maybe of one,;two cry/more start formrwherebyttheeend 22. :of the rotating edrum .assemblywis aformed .withone, two a or more. inlet.- ports r23 leading to the Q0ll0111fi911$ 0f5ih6CIBW22L The .oppositeeendpr-ends. of .the,sc13eww21.leads to anlannular gas chamber 24 from which;thergastthereinqis conducted throughzports 25 in-rafhollow:bearingiiournal 2 6,into:a stationary Loutlet ;gas: chamber 127 formed gbetweena radial partition 28 spanning the interior of the outermost casing 117 land tone end wall 29 0f such/casing.

'rThe-outer .acasin 117 tis, closed: by:,.wall-:30 at the, opposite end .and partially ifilled :with water .as ;,ShQWn ;at 3.1 to ;a {level :which is ,higher .than :the lowermost point -of the inner drum ;;2,0-,,Whereby, upon rotation. of the, drum assembly, tgasifrom the surounding-or inlet .chamberf-32 of the; ,cylinderris trappedzand .is;propelled along the; turns of l the nscrew 21 within i the drum assembly and ;is 1 eventually-discharged ithrongh the hollow :bearing journal .26 into .the gsecond gas rchamber ,lPetrol delivered from 1 ,an adjustable feed device 33 is caused :to drip :onto zihe :upperrnost -.'point of :the ,outer surface ofltheirotating drum 118, being dischargedirom the lower endhof-a feedzpipe 34 and distributed overthe surface-10f, the..;drum-, withithe .aid of a.: r1istributor55 which isjsecured toJhe underslltfaceiofzthe upper region of the outer=,casing;17. The; petrol feed-device .33 comprises;a rotating disc 36 lcarrying 3116.81 ;-its periphery a series of cups 3,7 in :regularlyaspaced relationship, saidcupsbeing disposed 5S0 asztoidipy henmeartthe lowermost point; of their path of revolution, into ipetrol .as :shown ;at 38 ,in;,a tank 3 9 which .is closed .and is :secured upon a {framework .40 ;=which :.also serves :totmount the casing 1:7 .and itstassociatedpparts. As thecups 37tare-raised OIL'thEiI' emergence-from; the petrol -38 in the tank 39, theypbecome tilted: to spill themeasuredquantity ofpetroltherein .into an arcuate mouthed funnel 41 which communicates at its lowermost point by way of a rotatable outlet;gland =:42 to :the :aforesaidpetrol :feed aipe 3,4.

for .the=:purpose 20f convenient adjustment ."of a'the amount of petrol.-supplied perlrevolution of the-drum-assembly thesupper :orifiiceofthisfunnelis arranged to' be displaceable about the horizontal axis of the gland 42 by means of an external regulator handle 43 so that, by altering the position of such funnel as shown, for example, by the chain-dotted outline in Fig. 3 only a predetermined proportion of the petrol gathered by each cup is directed into the funnel, the remainder being prematurely spilt and automatically returned to the main body of petrol in the tank. Alternatively, the funnel 41 may be provided with an arcuate cover over the mouth thereof, which cover is arranged to be displaceable by means of the regulator handle 43 so that by altering the position of such cover only the supply of petrol into the funnel is controlled as above.

The disc 36 is secured upon a spindle 44 and this is rotated in unison with the shaft 19 by an electric motor 45 mounted upon the framework 40, through the intermediary of suitable belt, chain or other driving connections 46, 47 and 48.

Secured to the shaft 19 between the inlet port end 22 of the rotating drum assembly and the adjacent end wall 30 of the casing 17 is a rotating disc 50. This disc is of n a size which nearly fits the interior of the stationary casing and consequently overlies and masks an inlet connection 51 leading from the producer gas plant PG whereby such producer gas initially impinges upon the surface of such disc and has to travel along such surface and over its edge and then down the opposite surface to arrive eventually at the inlet ports 23 of the Archimedean spiral 21.

The lowermost point of the outer casing is conveniently provided with a sludge sump 52 and with suitable water cocks 53, 54 for periodically changing the water and clearing any sludge which has accumulated.

An outlet connection 55 of the gas chamber 27 leads by way of piping 56 to a further gas holder indicated generally at 57 in Fig. 1.

In the operation of the device the producer gas, conveniently at a reasonably stable pressure from the associated gas holder 15 of the producer gas plant PG, is fed to the mixing chamber 32 of the petrol vapourizing plant PVP by way of the inlet connection 51. Simultaneously, petrol is being dropped onto the outer surface of the rotating drum 18 which by reason of its partial immersion in the water filling 31 is wet with the result that the applied petrol forms a widely distributed thin film which is quickly vapourized and mixed with the producer gas. The producer gas in impinging upon the cooled and wetted disc 50 and travelling along its surface and over its peripheral edge, deposits thereon water vapour and the fine particles of solid matter entrained in the gas, with which particles the water filling 31 becomes automatically contaminated.

The mixture of producer gas and vapourized petrol is drawn into the Archimedean screw 21 through the ports 23 and pockets of the gas mixture are propelled along the turns of the screw and eventually discharged under some degree of pressure into the outlet gas chamber 27.

The turbulence created by the rotating drum assembly and the continual passage of the gas mixture through the sealing water produces an effective washing of the producer gas component of the mixture before its eventual delivery to the gas chamber 27 while the wet carburation type'of device used for effecting vapourization of the applied petrol produces the requisite density of petrol vapour for admixture with the producer gas without recourse to any heating or other vapourizing aids. In this specification vapourization of petrol by the wet carburation method is to be understood to mean a method in which a comparatively large surface is continually moistened with water and liquid petrol is applied thereto so as to spread out in a thin and substantially even film.

While the arrangements shown constitute a preferred embodiment of apparatus according to the invention, it will be apparent that other hydrogen-containing gases such as town gas or coal gas may be suitable for use instead of producer gas where a supply of such other gas is available, and that other forms of producer gas generating plant and gas pumping means may be employed.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for producing a combustible gas mixture comprising a mixture of a hydrogen-containing gas such as producer gas, coal gas or town gas with petrol vapour, comprising the combination of a casing enclosing a mixiii] ing chamber for said hydrogen containing gas and the petrol vapour, an inlet at one end of said casing for the hydrogen-containing gas, an outlet in another part of said casing for the gas-vapour mixture, a shaft journalled in said casing, driving means for said shaft, a drum mounted on said shaft and partially immersed in a water bath within said casing, means for applying petrol to the constantly wetted outer surface of said drum, convolutions within said drum adapted to draw pockets of petrol vapour-gas mixture through the water bath by rotation of said drum, and a bafile disc fast on the drum shaft and situated between the rotary drum and the casing inlet, the said bafiie disc being partially immersed in the water bath to present a constantly wetted and cooled surface to the incoming hydrogen-containing gas before substantial mixing with the petrol vapour.

2. In an apparatus for the production of a combustible gas mixture of a hydrogen-containing gas such as producer gas, coal gas or town gas with petrol vapour, the combination of an enclosing casing defining a mixing chamber, a water bath in said chamber, means for vaporizing petrol within the said casing, a gas inlet at one end of said casing, means for supplying a hydrogencontaining gas to said inlet, an outlet for the gas-vapour mixture in said casing, a shaft journalled in the casing, an Archimedean screw mounted on said shaft for drawing pockets of vapour-gas mixture through said water bath, and a smooth surfaced disc mounted on said shaft and positioned between the said inlet for the hydrogencontaining gas and the Archimedean screw, said bafile disc being partially immersed in said Water bath to present a constantly cooled and wetted surface inclined to the direction of the incoming hydrogen-containing gas to remove water vapour and entrained impurities therefrom before substantial mixing with the petrol vapour.

3. Apparatus for enriching hydrogen-containing gas comprising the combination of a casing enclosing a mixing chamber for said hydrogen containing gas and the petrol vapour, an inlet at one end of said casing for the hydrogen-containing gas, an outlet in another part of said casing for the gas-vapour mixture, a shaft journalled in said casing, driving means for said shaft, a drum mounted on said shaft and partially immersed in a water bath within said casing, means for applying petrol to the constantly wetted outer surface of said drum, convolutions within said drum adapted to draw pockets of petrol vapour-gas mixture through the water bath by rotation of said drum, and a baflle disc fast on the drum shaft and situated between the casing inlet for the hydrogen-containing gas and the rotary drum, said bafile disc being partially immersed in the water bath to present a constantly wetted and cooled surface inclined to the incoming hydrogen-containing gas.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 551,695 Slocum Dec. 17, 1895 873,250 Lea Dec. 10, 1907 1,345,131 Cleworth June 29, 1920 1,637,187 Harris July 26, 1927 1,730,410 Dennison Oct. 8, 1929 1,731,924 Engelke Oct. 15, 1929 1,819,839 Grant Aug. 18, 1931 2,513,769 White July 4, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 931 Great Britain J an. 13, 1911 7,470 Great Britain Mar. 20, 1909 519,781 France June 15, 1921 

